St Chad's Church, Far Headingley

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  • About us
    • Welcome message
    • Meet the team
    • St Chad’s Church – history and architecture
      • The Baptistery
      • The Bell Tower
      • The East Window
      • Chancel, Choir and Nave
      • The Organ at St. Chad’s
      • The Lady Chapel / Chapel of St. Oswald
      • The Reredos
      • St. Oswald’s Church
      • Architectural images
    • St Chad’s Parish Centre
    • Parish Magazine
    • Our church as venue
    • Our Mission Partners
    • Churches Together in Headingley
    • Parochial Church Council (PCC)
  • Services & events
    • Regular services
    • Baptisms at St Chad’s
    • Weddings at St Chad’s
    • Funerals at St Chad’s
    • Worship on the Edge
  • Church groups
    • Bible Reading
    • Bell Ringing
    • Church Choir
    • Mothers’ Union
    • Eco St Chad’s
      • The Green Team
      • Churchyard as wildlife haven
      • Community Churchyard Work Parties
      • Gallery, Eco St Chad’s
    • ‘…another time’
    • Groups & activities – contact list
  • Community groups
    • Parent-led Toddler Group
    • Tennis Club
    • Cricket Club
    • Groups & activities – contact list
  • Children & young people
    • Sunday Club Groups
    • Brownies, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts & Explorers
    • Groups & activities – contact list
  • Giving
    • Giving – why is it important?
    • Make a donation
    • St Chad’s charitable giving
    • Volunteering opportunities
  • Safeguarding
  • Contact us
    • Enquiry
    • How to find us
    • Meet the team
    • Groups & activities – contact list

The Bell Tower

Originally the church had only three bells, which were cast in 1867. A further four were added in 1872 and a treble in 1876. All were cast by John William Taylor senior and recast in 1933 by his son, Edmund Denison Taylor, at his own expense. The weight of the tenor was originally 20 cwt., but after recasting is now 18 cwt. 2qr. 18 lb. in E.

St Chad’s Spire and Bells

The following is from an article published in ‘The Ringing World’ on 30 April 1971.

Situated three miles on the north-west side of the city of Leeds on the main Leeds – Otley road, Far Headingley is a well-populated suburb, the church managing to retain a rural atmosphere, with the church cricket club ground in front of the church.

Provided for the parish by the first Lord Grimthorpe, the church was consecrated on 11 January 1868. Between 1909 and 1911 the church was extended and a new chancel built together with a Lady Chapel. This put the 175ft tower and steeple into a much better perspective. The style of the church is 14th century Gothic and is especially dominant within. The tower and steeple are beautifully designed, the spire being octagonal and triple-banded in a double elongated lozenge pattern – a rare feature. By coincidence it is similar in design to the spires of Salisbury and Lichfield Cathedrals.

Originally the church had only three bells, which were cast in 1867. A further four were added in 1872 and a treble in 1876. All were cast by John William Taylor sen. and were recast in 1933 by his son, Edmund Denison Taylor, at his own expense. The weight of the tenor was originally 20cwt., but after the recasting is now 18cwt 2qr. 18lb in E.* Hung in an oak frame, the bells are acknowledged by many to be one of the finest rings of eight in the country.

An interesting record in the tower is that of the first peal on the augmented eight, one of Kent Treble Bob Major, on 22 December 1877, conducted by Jasper W. Snowdon, who was the first president of the Yorkshire Association.

A former vicar of the church was Canon C. C. Marshall, who, in addition to being for over 35 years the president of the Yorkshire Association, was a very active ringer for over 40 years at St Chad’s. He was followed as president of the association by Canon C. O. Ellison, a former curate of the church.

The bells are rung twice every Sunday, and the practises on Thursdays are always well attended. During the academic year there are augmented by students from the University of Leeds, many of whom reside in the parish. Yorkshire rope-ends are of course, the order of the day.

Alfie and Ernest Johnson

* As a sub-note, the bells have been analysed tonally since this article was produced and deduced that actually the bells are tuned closer to the key of E flat rather than E, but they are a sharp E Flat.

Browse our site

  • About us
    • Welcome message
    • Meet the team
    • St Chad’s Church – history and architecture
    • St Chad’s Parish Centre
    • Parish Magazine
    • Our church as venue
    • Our Mission Partners
      • News from the Marshalls in Malta
    • Parochial Church Council (PCC)
      • PCC Committee Members
  • Services & events
    • St Chad’s January Services
    • Weddings at St Chad’s
    • Regular services
    • Baptisms at St Chad’s
    • Funerals at St Chad’s
    • Worship on the Edge
  • Church groups
  • Community groups
  • Children & young people
    • Brownies, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts & Explorers
    • Sunday Club Groups
  • Giving
    • Giving – why is it important?
    • Make a donation
    • St Chad’s charitable giving
    • Volunteering opportunities
  • Eco St Chad’s
  • Groups & activities – contact list
  • Contact us
    • Enquiry
    • How to find us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Safeguarding

                    Thought for the Month

“Lord God of surprises, we thank you that you know each one of us

and you call us to humble obedience to your will.

Give us that readiness to hear, accept and follow

your purposes for our lives. Amen”

A prayer by Archbishop John Sentamu

 

CONTACT DETAILS

St Chad’s Church
Otley Road, Far Headingley, Leeds LS16 5JT

Parish Office Tel: 07434 660 785
Email: office@stchads.co.uk

Parish Office opening hours:
Monday 9am – 12 noon
Tuesday 9am – 12 noon
CLOSED WEDNESDAY
Thursday 9am – 12 noon
Friday 9am – 12 noon

Parish Centre Bookings Tel: 0113 230 7665  Email stchadspc@btinternet.com
Website www.stchadsparishcentre.org

 

MORE NEWS …

Church Times Green Church Award Winners!

We were so proud to find out that St Chad's had won the Green Futures Award at the recent Church Times Green Church Awards.  Find out more here.

Links

St Michael's Church, Headingley

Church of England, Diocese of Leeds

Leeds Church Institute

A Rocha

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